I’m going to give you a crash course on website building 101 and what is needed to get started. There are 3 parts to establishing a website:
1. Domain Name
The domain name is the network address and this is the website’s main identifier. The domain name is typically a unique string similar to an address in the real world. Examples of domain names are iScripts.com or Google.com. It is important to choose your domain name carefully. It should be unique and contain keywords from the type of website that you are creating. The domain should also be easy to type, easy to remember, and try to keep it as short as possible. Your domain name will help with branding and set you apart from competitors.
You can buy a domain at godaddy.com.
2. Hosting
The hosting is a storage space, it is a business access for websites. In order to choose the proper web hosting, you must first determine the needs of your website. Always take your potential growth into consideration. If you think there will be a significant increase in visitors in the future, then you may want to plan accordingly. There are 3 types of hosting offered. These are shared servers, virtual servers, and dedicated servers. Shared servers are typically the most affordable, but it shares resources from other sites on the server which can lead to many problems due to poor performance. Virtual servers are typically the best choice for small businesses. Virtual servers provide more stability and have access to much more resources. The last of the 3 types of hosting offered, dedicated servers are entire, physical servers that are dedicated to your site. These are used mainly for corporate companies or small businesses with heavier traffic. Although dedicated servers are the most costly, they do have the least amount of downtime as well as the most resources. Customer service is another important factor when choosing a web hosting provider. It will be important to have a timely response time should an issue occur. The final factor to consider when selecting a hosting provider would be the features offered. You need to look at the amount of storage provided and you should have enough space to grow at least 20% during the first year. Compare the bandwidth or amounts of data that you can transfer from your server to the site visitor’s. It is important to make sure what will happen if you go over that amount because some hosts charge extra or take your website offline.
You can also purchase hosting from godaddy.com.
3. Software
Software is the program or the information used by a computer to operate the site. When selecting the proper software for your business, you should first figure out exactly what you want your website to be capable of. Think of all the features that you will need your site to have. For example, an e-commerce store would need a shopping cart so that the site visitors can purchase products. Next, you should determine your budget for not only the software itself, but also the first year of implementation. Next you should look at all your options and narrow down your choices. Be sure to try out any demos available and really get a feel for the software. Always be sure to get input from current users and then you are ready to make your final decision to implement your software.
Try out a demo for the iScripts MultiCart online shopping cart or marketplace today!
If you do not have a programmer or developer and would like an easier method, use iScripts Cloud. If you have an idea for a website and want to hit the ground running, we are open ears and ready to assist you with all of your internet startup needs!
